1. Week 4: Economic Impact of Tourism Mindmap: The Polynesian Cultural Center - Oahu, Hawaii Elizabeth Uzelac HTT211 April 23rd, 2017 Jennifer Kelso
2. Social and cultural benefits the area gains from such tourism
2.1. In addition to the revenue, there are also fantastic cultural advantages to tourism.
2.2. It can be a source of pride for local communities, and allows them to look at their history, and cultural heritage and develop their own community identity. This helps the local residents to maintain their traditions and culture, while also showcasing it for all the visitors. This advantage of tourism is what has saved many local heritage sites from destruction, in addition to giving tourists a wonderful insight into the local ways of life. Tourism can help to preserve the history of a region that may be at risk of being lost.
2.3. The Polynesian Cultural Center brings a sense of pride to Pacific island culture and traditions and keeps these traditions and cultures alive. This affect not only Hawaiian culture but other Pacific islands as well such as Tonga, Fiji and Samoa.
3. How tourists impact quality of life for the locals
3.1. Tourism brings in employment opportunities as well as revenue from tourists.
3.2. Local have opportunities to gain employment within the tourism industry. Income earned from employment can be used to improve quality of life for locals within a region.
3.3. The increased revenue from tourism also gives local governments and councils more income to spend on improving infrastructure of local communities which adds to an overall better quality of life for locals and communities.
4. How the influx of tourists directly benefits the city and surrounding areas
4.1. The influx of tourists directly benefits the city and surrounding areas by providing employment which leads to a higher standard of living for the local communities.
4.2. It also helps to improve the local infrastructure through the additional revenue that comes into the community through tourism. With more income going into an economy through tourism and increased tax income from increased employment, local councils or governments have more funds that can be used to improve infrastructure. This means that the funding infrastructure improvements develops new roads, parks and other public spaces.
4.3. Better facilities also brings in more visitors, but is a good benefit to local residents, especially when there is enough revenue to build new airports, schools, and hospitals.
5. References:
5.1. Law, L (2017). Plant Ware: 9 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Hawaii. Retrieved at: http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/hawaii-ushi.htm
5.2. Bennett, T (2014). 7 Advantages of Tourism in an Economy. Retrieved at: https://blog.udemy.com/advantages-of-tourism/
6. Employment, Increased spending in the local community, diversification, environmental advantages, opportunities
7. Introduction
7.1. The Polynesian Cultural Center is located on Oahu, less than an hours drive from Honolulu.
7.2. The center is divided into sections representing each of these locations. Many of the performers come from the islands which they represent, providing a high degree of authenticity. Visitors can tour the facility during the day or see a show in the evening. Along with the Polynesian Cultural Center, there are other tourist attractions to Oahu and other island in Hawaii (Law, 2017).
7.3. Through music, dance, craft demonstrations, and games, the center portrays the culture and daily life of the Polynesian islanders in Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji as well as that of the Maoris in New Zealand (Law, 2017)
8. How Tourism has benefited the economy of Oahu
8.1. Tourism has provided employment opportunities to the region
8.1.1. One of the easiest advantages to identify is the jobs tourism brings to this area. Not only will the Cultural Center provide jobs within entertainment, they will also directly influence positions like tour guides, hotel staff, coach services, and restaurants. The businesses not only pay wages to staff, but sources goods and products locally, giving a boost to local industry.
8.2. In addition to what is spent by tourists, the tourism dollars that are earned by both businesses and individuals is often re-injected into the local economy.
8.2.1. There is more money being earned locally thanks to tourism, which is then spent in the local economy as well. This is why tourism revenues are often referred to as having a multiplier effect, because a large percentage of every tourist dollar earned is reintroduced back into the economy, again and again. Ultimately, the more tourist dollars coming in, the larger the economic benefit for everyone.
8.3. Diversification
8.3.1. In addition to bringing prosperity to an economy, it also allows an economy to develop a new form of income. This acts as an insurance policy in case of hard times, because the additional dollars coming in can help support traditional industries in case they come under financial pressure. This is especially important for communities that rely on a single industry, or where there is a concentration of industry that is environmentally damaging such as mining or manufacturing. It’s also important for rural communities, where there is significant risk based on the farming conditions and global commodity prices. Tourism allows a community to diversify their sources of income, and rely less on a single industry.
8.4. Environmental Advantages
8.4.1. Many tourism operators are differentiating themselves from their counterparts by offering tours and packages with an environmental twist, and supporting the conservation of the local area. This helps both the environment in dealing with the influx of tourists, but also helps to build a strong reputation for the tourism operator.
8.5. Opportunities
8.5.1. Bringing tourists into a community gives it new life, and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to establish new services and products, or facilities that would not be sustainable based on the local population of residents alone. Tourists are all potential customers, and with the right approach can be targeted in a business strategy that allows for fantastic success (Bennett, 2014).